Combined water system service protector and electrical ground



June 29 1926.

v I 1,590,590 F. W. SEYMOUR EI'AL' COMBINED WATER SYSTEM SERVICEPROTECTOB AND ELECTRICAL GROUND Filed Dec. 11. 1923 2 vENToiw PatentedJune 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE.

FREDERICK IV. SEYMOUR AND DANIEL A. GILLEN, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK.

COMBINED WATER SYSTEM SERVICE IPROTEOTOR AND ELECTRICAL GROUND.

Application filed December 11, 1923. Serial No. 680,055.

This invention relates to electrical and water or gas supply systems forbuildlngs and has special reference to the use of 1mproved means forutilizing the. water or ply systennand the present method of attachingor effecting the grounding of the electric wires is by means of clampssoldered to the wires and then pressed or wrapped around the water pipeson the ser ice side of the water cook or meter, the clamps afterwrapping around the pipes being drawn tight by, means of a screw orstove bolt and nut. This method afiords only a pressed contact which wefrom our extensive experience in installation and inspection of suchsystems have found to be weak and defective from the standpoint ofconductivity of electricity and hence reliability, because of thecoatings formed or accumulated upon the surface of the pipes duetooxidation, dirt, and tendency to loosenessdue to deterioration,stretching of the parts, and other deteriorating conditions. Again, mostof the regulations and rules bearing upon the grounding of electricalsystems require, that the secondary service wire and conduit ground besoldered or otherwise suitably connected to the ground wire run orconnected to the service side of the water cock where the connection iseffected by a ground clamp of the character above mentioned. When,however, the water system enters the building at a great distance fromthe point of entry of the electrical system the ground ing is commonlyeffected by connecting the electric conduit or armored cable to thenearest: water pipe, it being remote from the meter and service side ofthe water system makes it mandatory or desirable that a shunt for theelectrical system be made around the water meter. Among other reasonsfor this shunt is that the meter is connected between the main waterpipes by means including washers or couplings of insulation. Hence tocarry out the usual program other ground clamps pressed or wrappedaround the pipes and soldered to the wires are usually employed. j

Another common and objectionable con dition commonly met with is thefact that the water meter, being placed within two or three feet of thefoundation or wall of the cellar, is subjected to frequent damage due toheavy weights being piled or permitted to fall upon it, tending to breakthe glass or the more delicate working parts of the instrument. Amongthe objects of the invention, therefore, is to provide mechanicalprotection for the Water meter, said protecting meansconsisting of astrong structure such as rigid pipes or rods bridging or guarding themeter and having positive metallic connection with the water pipes onopposite sides of the meter insulation.

Another fault with water systems as commonly practiced is that there isa pronounced hammering or pounding within the pipes resulting fromsudden closing of the faucets,

especially automatic closing faucets such as u are frequently used inpublic buildings especially, and such hammering is an incident oraccompaniment of added pressure in the water system, such pressurehaving a tendency to produce undesirable conditions such as leakyfaucets, valves, or other fittings, as well as the causing of otherdamages. A further object of the invention therefore, is

to provide a cushion for the water system' to relieve this unduepressure and hammering action and also to utilize the cushion mechanismas a part of the grounding and reinforcing system for the protection ofthe meter.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an electrical shunt aroundthe water meter and having peculiar and novel con-- necting meansbetween the wires and the heavier conductor mechanism; to therebyimprove the conductivity of the ground connection between the groundwire and the water system pipe; to improve the conduc tivity of a shuntaround the water meter to provide a combined reinforcement or guard forthe Water meter and electrical shunt and serving also to sustainthe-pipe ends in substantially standard position when the meter isremoved for any purpose.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact. detailsof construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose ofillustrating a practical embodiment thereof referenceis had to theaccompanying drawings, in which like. reference characters designate thesame parts inv the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is asectionaldetail on theline of Fig. 2.-

Fig. i is a detail plan view of a meter connector or hanger.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a double lock nut and connector.

Fig. 6 is a detail View 01": another form of connector.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings we show a water servicepipe 10 leading inward through a wall 1V and having any suitable type ofconnection at 11 with the next section 01 the pipe 12 to or in which isfitted a T 13. Beyond this T or otherwise suitably located is a cutvalve 1 1, andat any suitable place may be located a check valve 15.

Integral with and supported by the T 13 is a dome 16 providing an airpocket or cushion within it and having a substantially flat closed top17 having formed at any suitable p ace a threaded extension 18 on whichis a lock nut 19, and i'ormed at another convenient place with a lug 20having a hole formed therethrough for the passage or attachment ofground wire 21.

23 indicates a meter sandwiched between the main water pipe and havinginsulated couplings 24lsecuringit in place as is above premised with themeter so connected and insulated for its own protection from electricaldamage.

In case a ground connection from a remote electrical system is made withan adjacent water pipe in the building remote from the service end ofthe pipe, it is essential that a shunt be formed around the meter. Tothis end we provide a positive metallic connection as indicated by asystem of piping or rods 25 shown as connected at one end to theextension 18 of the cushion dome and at the other end to a T-coupling 26on the other side of the meter-from the cushion.

It will be noted also that this rigid frame or guard structure 25 isbrought over the top of the meter and spaced suiiiciently above it tonot obstruct the reading of the meter nor the opening of its cover, butin position to effectively guard the meter from mechanical or physicaldamage. One end of the guardis shown threaded upon the extension 18 andafter such connection is made the nut 19 is tightened snugly up againstit. This nut is shown provided with a lug 20 of the same character asthe lug 20.

The preferred means for attaching the ground wire or shunt wire to thecond ctor portion of the water system comprises the threading of thewire into or through the hole in the lug 20 and tightening firmly downupon it a set screw 27, and to make the connection doubly electricallysecure we provide a pit 28 in the upper portion of the lug 20 adjacentto the screw, said pit communicating with the wlre hole, and this pit isrun full of molten metal 29' making both the screw hole and the wirehole, will seal or solder the screw from. turning as well as making anntegral connection for the wire.

The hanger shown best, in Fig; 1 comprises a rod structure 31 havingsubstantial ly straight ends between which is located a circular orelliptical branch portion 31 forming a seat for the bottom of the meterto assist in supporting or stabilizing the meter. The ends oi the hangerare connected on opposite sidesof, the meter'and insulation to thepiping and the. means-we prefer to employ for this purpose is as shownin Figs. 1, 5, and 6, the same comprising for one endor the hanger'apair of lock nuts 32 and 33, the former being shown provided with a lugextension at havinga hole passing therethrough for the end of the hangerparallel to the. axis of the pipe on which the nut is placed and havinga pit- 28 for solder 29 and also a set screw 27 as already described.This projection 34& may extend downward or laterally as may be bestsuited for any particulaninstallation. The nut 32 carries a strong pin36' cooperating with one of severalgrooves37' formedin the adjacent faceof. the, companion nut 83. The .pin 36 is parallelto the axis of thepipe and is spaced radially the etrom to a distance about midway'beatween the ends of the groove whichis shown arranged spirally'in the faceof the nut 33. In applying the nuts to the pipe they'are assembled sothat the pin lies-easily within one of the grooves and while thenuts'are turned together for positioning them either against or withrespect to the T coupling 13 there is no relative movement between thepin and its groove. However, after the nut 32 is fixed in positioneither by jam ining it against the endfof the T'or other wise, the nut33 is given, an independent binding rotation for looking it and theother nut, and this independent rotation of the nuts causes the pintoincrease the grip or holding power of the nuts by riding up toward oneend or the-other of the cam; groove. For the other endj'ofthe hanger weshow a special form of combination grippinglock nut and connector, thesame comprising-a two part structure 38 and 39 open at one side at andhinged at 41 at the opposite sides for passing around a pipe that mayalready have been installed. The two parts of the nut are threaded asusual for co-operation with companion extensions 42 externally threadedfor receiving a binding nut 43. These extensions are preferably taperedso as to admit the nut thereon and with suificient space at 40 betweenthe extensions to tighten the nut and so cause the divided nut to gripwith great power upon the pipe for looking it in place. The member 38 isprovided with an extension 34 having provision for the end of the hanger31 or other connection and having also a set screw 27' and pit 28 forthe solder running to both the connection and the screw.

The details of construction just referred to are designed to meet thecondition that public service corporations are required to ground thesecondary service wires. The neutral wire of a three wire system or onewire of a two wire system therefore are often grounded inside abuilding. Where this is done by the corporation the electrician whowires the building usually grounds the conduit or armored cableseparately. To provide for the two ground wires we employ the dome andflange or lug extension for one ground already described and a lock nutcombination electrical connector threaded to the dome for the secondground, or if desired the connection may be made through the hanger asjust described. As regards the latter condition it will be observed thatcontact between the meter and the hanger does not throw the main body ofthe meter into the electrical circuit, the resistance of the meter beingmuch higher than that of the hanger, but the meter may carry somecurrent. The amount of current so passing through the meter would be sosmall that it could not ing provided for attaching the meter base shuntor hanger 31, in which case the electrician would object or would not bepermitted to take down the piping to apply the necessary connections.We, therefore, have provided a combination lock nut or connector in twosections as shown in Fig. 6 which may be applied over any suitably sizedpipe by opening and swinging one part on its hinge around the other andthen thereafter applying the binding nut 43 as already set forth.

We claim: 7

In a combined system as set forth, the combination with a water servicepipe, a member coupled therein, and a dome extending upward from thepipe and constituting an air cushion for the water circulating system,of means including a lug integral with the dome for attaching with asubstantially integral connection an electric ground wire to the top ofthe dome, and rigid mechanical guard means and electrical conductorconnected to the top of the dome and extending thence around saidcoupled member.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

FREDERICK W. SEYMOUR. DANIEL A. GILLEN.

